Major Kerrie Kiley stood defensively behind Htaere
in the cargo bay that had been converted into an
arboretum. Her arms were folded over her chest,
expressing the discomfort she had with the silence
that had filled the area. Neither of them had seemed
much like talking so far. Her head robotically
scanned slowly from left to right and she maintained
a constant state of vigilance over her charge.
Danger seemed just as likely to come from within
these days, further putting her on edge. Finally,
she broke the silence with a deep sigh, her
concentration shattering as she was forced to bring
a gloved finger up to massage her eyelids. The
raised lighting levels in the bay needed to sustain
the plant life were unusual for a starship, and had
placed considerable strain upon her eyes.

The rigid frame of the Hapan heiress shifted,
after what seemed an eternity of statuesque inner
revelry. Trapped within the bowels of the Warspite
once more, Htaere felt comfortable neither here, nor
on the estate, where the ISB had abducted her with
no difficulty, and no just cause for doing so. In
combating the residual psychological effects of the
ordeal, Htaere spent most of her time remaining
isolated, away from the eyes of the crew, skeptical
of each and every one. Upon hearing the faintest
sound of disgruntled impatience behind her, Htaere
pulled her distant and broken gaze from the pristine
white flower of a trumpet vine to glance over her
shoulder at her bodyguard. "It is not necessary that
you remain. I shall be fine here," she offered a
passive dismissal.

"I am just not used to light is all, Milady,"
Kerrie defiantly insisted as she lowered her hand
from her eyes, "I will be fine." She moved forward,
seeing an opportunity to break the awkward silence
of it all. Standing next to one of the plants she
roughly grabbed hold of one of the leaves to examine
it, having no dainty sense to her touch. "Are there
many plants where you are from, Milady?" she asked
as she turned her head slowly over her shoulder,
making eye contact for the first time. "Zolan is a
wasteland and I cannot say that I see the appeal of
such things," she admitted as she released her death
grip on the plant, it quivering slightly as it shook
back into place. Clearly she was a woman without a
green thumb.

Apathetic to her friend's untrained approach to
the foliage, Htaere instead let a wistful grin shift
her lips into a patient smile. "Yes. Everything is
green, lush, alive. Hapans admire nature, and thrive
on it. We surround ourselves with it, incorporate it
into our architecture, our lives, homes, ceremonies
and traditions," she answered, her voice trailing
off a bit towards the end as she recollected the
warmth and vitality of natural flora and manicured
gardens Hapans across the entire cluster subscribed
to, a hallmark of their race. "It is soothing," she
added. "It provides solace, a small reminder of who
I am, where I come from." The memories were
bittersweet and seemed ages old against the endless
and cold prison that was the Empire and its war
machines.

Kerrie listened to the words spoken by Htaere,
but they did not seem to have much meaning as the
life she was describing was far from the one she had
experienced on her own homeworld. The pair seemed to
come from as far apart a set of circumstances as
possible. As she turned back to take in the sheer
size and scope of the converted cargo bay, she could
not help but not that it was presumably against
countless regulations. It was good to be an Admiral,
she thought to herself as she felt nearly lost and
overwhelmed by the towering plants that had been
plucked from throughout the core to make this
sanctuary. "Doctor Tohan is a plant lover too," she
pointed out as she navigated her way back to Htaere.
"Those Ithorians are a bunch of nature lovers. I've
been to Ithor. Very green," she continued to
elaborate, though leaving out the key detail that
she had been trying to kill the Admiral at the time.

"Yes, they are talented gardeners," Htaere
affirmed, recalling the ultra rare Tree of Wisdom
she'd gifted to Pilaq Tohan for his exceptional care
of the Rodney family, Kerrie included. Despite her
quotidian elegant and pricey gown and headband,
Htaere still bore the faintest traces of ragged
exhaustion, dark circles starting to form under her
eyes as night after night, precious sleep was robbed
of her as it gave way to the endless vid of
nightmares. She let her cloudy grey eyes lift
towards Kerrie. She had not seen much of Kerrie
since her return, and had been relieved to know the
major survived being shot. She certainly was a
sturdy and resilient being.

Kerrie's nose began to twitch slightly and then
suddenly without warning she erupted into a massive
sneeze that disrupted her concentration and sent her
briefly into her true Clawdite forum. Quite
embarrassed she turned her face to shield herself
from Htaere's view and began furiously sniffling as
she attempted to deal with the situation. "I
apologize, Milady," she said nervously as she
brought a glove up to her face to attempt to clean
the mess. "The plants seem to be emanating a ...
toxin ... of sorts that has affected me," she said
as her hand twitched nervously over her blaster
pistol. She glared angrily at a thousand different
unseen enemies in the form of the flowers and
leaves, clearly not having been trained in the
science of pollination.

"I am sorry, I do not have a handkerchief with me
at present," Htaere rose from her seat on a bench.
"Come, let us depart and get you clear of the
allergens," she offered.

"I will be all right. Just give me a mo- a mo-"
Kerrie struggled to get out the words as she began
to succumb again, closing her eyes as she unleashed
another massive sneeze that had the same crippling
effect on her shape-shifting ability. "Ugh..." she
groaned unpleasantly as she refocused her energy on
maintaining her disguise, much of her face now
covered with the unpleasant slime. It was clear that
her youth spent free of plant life that had not
developed any tolerance to pollen and had made her
easily susceptible to allergies. "Do they not affect
you in such a way?" she queried as she staggered
towards the door, her eyes beginning to fill with an
unpleasant moisture, forcing her to rub at them
futilely.

Htaere frowned, shaking her head, "No, they do
not." The idea of being unable to live among plants
was unfathomable to her, and dreadful. She hastened
towards the entrance of the bay, waiting for Kerrie
to catch up. "Come quickly as they are affecting you
greater then before."

Kerrie emerged from the cargo bay and began to
take deep breaths of the recycled air that filled
the corridors. Completely unladylike she shook her
gloved hand in the air, scattering some of the
mucous to the deckplating below. "I apologize for
interrupting your tranquility, Milady," she said as
her eyes began to tear up, her cheeks reddening and
swelling slightly. She closed her eyes and groaned,
her paranoid instincts wondering if she had perhaps
been poisoned. Her hand came up to her eyes once
more, pressing them shut as she rubbed them slightly
in a vein attempt to alleviate the irritation.

"It is fine," Htaere winced at the unhygienic
approach Kerrie took, but still leaned closer to her
friend for keener scrutinizing. "Shall I call Dr.
Tohan? You do not look well."

Kerrie opened her eyes, struggling to clear them
of the irritation. "I am trouble him more than any
other member of the crew," she sheepishly admitted,
shaking her head dejectedly at her behavior. "I am
quite sure I can there on my own power," she
protested as she began making her way towards the
turbolift. Her hand moved to her head, removing her
uniform cover. Having no other recourse she placed
it over her face and proceeded to blow her nose into
it, unleashing a disgustingly audible sound just
before entering the lift.

It was all Htaere could do to keep from
shuddering, left standing in the corridor looking
utterly dumbfounded at Kerrie's anaphylaxis. She
lifted a hand towards the lift to wave at Kerrie.
"Are you sure I cannot assist you?"

Kerrie did not wish to accept assistance, but
once inside the lift she realized that she could
barely see to operate the controls. "Perhaps, you
could operate the lift, Milady?" she suggested
reluctantly, lowering her head in obvious shame at
having to request her help with such a rudimentary
task.

Htaere nodded and hurried inside, selecting the
med bay level before stepping back and casting a
concerned glance to Kerrie. "We shall be there
momentarily," she assured her.

Kerrie staggered into the medical bay, which had
been a familiar stopping point for her on her
journeys aboard the Warspite. She walked right past
the medical droid in the entryway and tiredly
plopped down on the nearest available bed, looking
very out of sorts. She did not utter a word, unable
to deal with the embarrassment of what had
transpired and how easily she had been disabled.

Doctor Pilaq Tohan's large bulbous eyes blinked
nonchalantly as he saw Kerrie stagger once more into
his medical bay. His head lowered slightly as he
wondered what the cause might have been this time.
He began making his way over towards her, when he
spotted Htaere bringing up the rear to her. "What
did you do to her?" he asked, half-serious,
half-jokingly, in his distinct stereophonic Ithorian
voice. He was glad to see Htaere up and about,
having seemingly pulled back from social functions
since the incident.

"I did nothing. We were in the garden and she
said she is having a reaction to one of the plants,"
Htaere drew to a halt beside the aging physician.
"It came very suddenly. I do not know which plant
she might be reacting to, though she did touch the
leaves of a Mycosia flower plant," Htaere thought on
it.

"This girl succumbs to more medical mishaps that
any patient I have encountered in my journeys,"
Doctor Tohan admitted as she moved towards the
dispensary. This was by far a new low, and he would
be sure to have some fun at her expense. A moment
later he returned with a hypospray loaded with an
anti-histamine, and with no attempts to be delicate
he jabbed the Major in the arm and injected the
medication into her system. "Yes. You should be
quiet. You have a right to be embarrassed. Disabled
by a powerless plant," he said as he erupted with a
loud, booming laugh that was distinct to Ithorians
and caused several of the glass specimens on the
shelves to reverberate. "How did she get exposed to
a Mycosia flower plant aboard a star destroyer?" he
asked of Htaere, thinking fondly to his days among
the lush vegetation of his native Ithor.

Htaere's strained eyes flashed to take in the
shattering beakers momentarily before looking back
to Pilaq. The Ithorian was one of the few souls
Htaere encountered that she trusted since her
marriage to Claudius and her relocation into the
environment that he thrived in. Without fear of
repercussion, she confided to him about her secret.
"A garden that Claudius built for me," she answered
in a hushed tone. "...in secrecy" she added for
good measure to drive the point home.

Pilaq blinked silently at Htaere as he considered
what she had told him. He always knew Claudius was a
'softy' at heart, but felt slightly insulted he was
not consulted on all matters agricultural in nature.
"You mean to tell me there is a garden aboard this
war machine?" he questioned in somewhat disbelief,
his long narrow digits moving up to press at
Kerrie's chest to send her unceremoniously down into
a laying position without so much as looking at her.

The Hapan's youthful countenance nodded slowly.
She pulled her gaze off to the side to find a chair
in which to seat herself. Folding her hands in her
lap, she continued to wait patiently. "It is...the
only refuge I feel I have," she continued lightly in
confession.

"I should think so," Pilaq quickly added, feeling
the need to dispense medicine of a different sort as
he continued the conversation. "This is no place for
someone like you," he explained as his large, yellow
eyes scanned the cold, metallic surroundings that
were with them at every waking moment. "This is no
place for someone like myself either," he felt the
need to share as he lamented on his position.

A small smile worked across Htaere's lips. "And
yet, here we are," she remarked quietly. "I am
hopeful that this conflict will resolve itself
sooner rather then later." A silly optimism to be
certain, but one that Htaere clung to. It was quiet
for a moment before she spoke. "If you like, I shall
show you the garden. You are welcome to take
advantage of its serenity as well."

"Conflicts tend to burn themselves out quickly,"
Pilaq noted, though he did not share her optimism,
he nevertheless would not make the mistake of
embroiling her in the complex galactic politics of
the day. "I would love to see your garden," he
noted, as his eyes finally turned back towards Major
Kiley. "Well, there is no more I can do here," he
said as he placed a long arm around Htaere's
shoulder and began to escort her back towards
greener pastures.

"Will she recover quickly?" Htaere cast a glance
back towards Kerrie where she lay. She was a
constant source of tribulation for the woman, and it
never ceased to amaze her that the major never
waivered in her duties, no matter how frustrated she
must continuously be with Htaere's shortcomings as a
charge.

"It was just an allergy attack. Children have
been having them for millennia," Pilaq joked as he
dismissed Htaere's concerns. "It is her least
serious mishap to date," he noted as they left the
medical bay to its own devices and proceeded down
the corridor towards the turbolift. With the Admiral
in less than ideal condition, he felt the need to
look after his friend's wife during these
troublesome times.

Htaere nodded once before selecting the
appropriate level. It was remarkably quiet as she
seemed to be at an overall loss for words as of
late. When the lift eased to a halt and the door
slid open, she emerged and headed aft down the
corridor until stopping at a nondescript door on the
left. She moved slower on account of the large and
less-spry frame of the Ithorian accompanying her.
Keying in the code, she all too eagerly stepped
inside. While not a humid environment, the moisture
in the air within the converted bay was noticeable,
the illuminators still shining brightly as the
rotation the timers had been programmed to was still
in daylight hours. She stepped aside and motioned
Pilaq to come in.

Pilaq's eyes went wide as he stepped into the
converted cargo bay, witnessing it that was much
larger and more complex than he had anticipated. "I
could see how this could cause quite the attack," he
said with a slight chuckle as he eagerly moved past
her to inspect some of the foliage more carefully.
His long digits carefully caressed each leaf with
delicate sensibilities and he took in the pleasant
aroma that had so long been out of his life.
"Magnificent," he said as he took in the size and
scope of it all. He was truly impressed.

Htaere smiled as she moved after him and took a
seat on the bench once more. Still in the tree
nearby were the initials that Claudius himself had
carved while revisiting a moment of boyish bliss. "I
try hard to forget that I am in space," Htaere
stated. "This facilitates the process considerably."

"Alderaan is a green world, but I would not
suspect old Claudius would have been capable of all
this..." Pilaq commented as he continued to pass
through the garden. "Still..." he said, sounding
slightly out of sorts, "It does not compare to the
majestic beauty of my native Ithor." The aged doctor
felt almost at home among the flora, but it still
was not quite the same as being home.

"Alderaan is a green world, but I would not
suspect old Claudius would have been capable of all
this..." Pilaq commented as he continued to pass
through the garden. "Still..." he said, sounding
slightly out of sorts, "It does not compare to the
majestic beauty of my native Ithor." The aged doctor
felt almost at home among the flora, but it still
was not quite the same as being home.

"Nor does it compare to Gallinore or Hapes,"
Htaere agreed wistfully. "It is kind of him still,
and I am grateful for the retreat it provides." She
watched the old being shuffle carefully amid the
footpaths through the flower beds. "How is the Tree
of Wisdom doing?"

"It is in excellent health as only an Ithorian
could maintain," Pilaq boasted proudly as he made
his way back over towards her. "The real question is
... how are you doing?" he asked thoughtfully as he
seated himself down upon the bench to study her
features for the true nature of her response.

Thankful for Tohan's unwavering calm kindness,
Htaere felt herself relax into what could almost be
described as a slump in posture, something highly
out of character for the regularly prim and proper
decorum of the Hapan noble. "I am..." she began, yet
words were hard to conjure. There was much to tell,
and yet nothing to say, a heart full of dread and
terror, and yet an empty void at the same time. "I
am..." she tried again for the answer.
"...improving..." she said with finality. It wasn't
exactly the truth, yet it seemed an appropriate
response. Htaere's eyes drifted back across the
gardens as they had hours early, vacant and
listless, the once noticeable glow of naïveté and
blissful innocence permanently snuffed out. Where
once trust and optimism monopolized her perception,
in its place now festered the dark disease of
paranoia, skepticism and distrust.

Doctor Tohan studied her carefully and felt a
great deal of empathy for the young woman. As he
surveyed the gardens around them he could not help
but notice the quiet that surrounded them. There was
an absence of animal life that made the illusion
less than complete in his eyes. "I believe you have
an excellent chance at recovery," he said in an
optimistic tone that was accompanied by genuine
emotions. "How are you sleeping?" he asked, getting
a bit personal as it was one of the rare times they
would be afforded privacy. "Rest is very important,"
he added as he shifted his focus against from the
vegetation to her.

Htaere had to chuckle. "What is this...sleep you
speak of?" She frowned and took to wringing her
fingers in frustration. "My sleep is interrupted
habitually. I live it over and over again." Htaere
made a very uncharacteristic move by letting her
head rest in her hands. "I do not even understand
exactly what happened. And...something is happening
with Claudius. Something seems wrong and I do not
know the answers to any of these things."

Doctor Tohan grew concerned as he listened to
Htaere's words, pausing briefly to consider his
options. "Sleep is very important. Very important,"
he began as he tried to broach the subject
cautiously. "I could prescribe a sleep aid..." he
said slowly, not wanting to be too off-putting. "A
number of the crew take them given the high stress
levels as of late," he added, trying to be as
reassuring as possible.

"Claudius has been pushing for me to take
whatever pills it is you have already sent over. I
admit I am reluctant. I do not know what it is, what
the effects are. I am not one to favor heavy
chemical-based narcotics, especially those capable
of becoming an addiction," Htaere replied.

"I assure you, Milady, that I would not prescribe
anything harmful," Pilaq was quick to point out as
he concerned her criticism. "The side effects are
minimal and there is very little chance at
addiction," he added for good measure as he rose
from the bench to stretch his legs once again. His
hand reached out to grab one of the leafs, and
stroked it as he would a dear pet. "Beauty has a way
of adapting to whatever surroundings it finds itself
in and will endure..."

"I shall consider it then, thank you," she said.
After a long pause she spoke quietly. "I received an
irate transmission from my mother, as expected. In
response to the holovid coverage of this incident,"
she frowned as she spoke. "I was not aware such an
atrocity warranted sensationalist media coverage and
fanaticism. Still, I have been considering a
vacation back home, to escape all of...this..." she
motioned a slender hand to encompass all that
surrounded them, the ship, space beyond, and the war
beyond that. "Perhaps Claudius will allow you to
come with me."

Claudius Rodney Doctor Tohan nodded in
affirmation of her statement. "A trip home could
greatly aid in your recovery process," he stated as
his hand moved from one plant to another as he took
everything in. "I do not think I have ever
encountered an Ithorian who has been to the Hapes
Cluster," he added excitedly as his attention
gradually returned to Htaere. "It is something that
I would very much like to see," he informed her as
he wandered happily through the garden.

"I shall petition him tonight then," Htaere's
refined chin likewise dipped in a nod. "And what of
you? How is it that you have come to be in the
service of the Rodneys, on a war machine in space?
Ithorians are like Hapans. Space faring and conflict
is not the habitat we are inclined to surround
ourselves with."

"It is a long story. The kind of story that can
only be shared by two people who have known
themselves a very long time," Pilaq explained to
her, moving to take a seat beside her once again.
"Years ago ... before the Clone Wars ... when your
husband was about the age you are now he was serving
as Alderaan's representative to Ithor. We developed
a good working relationship in those early years..."
He paused, blinking slightly as he considered how
best to continue. "Some years later when the Empire
imposed a ... quarantine ... on Ithor the Admiral
used his influence to have me transported off world
in his career." It was something of a difficult
subject to discuss, and being in the constant
company of those who sought to oppress his people
was something of a hardship for him. "I am forever
grateful and remain dutifully in his service," he
said with a reassuring nod, "...and yours, Milady."

The word 'quarantine' caught Htaere and with it
in her mind's eye appeared again the dark festering
side of the Empire she had bore witness to first
hand. "Have you returned to Ithor since?"

"No." Pilaq responded quickly without going into
much detail as clearly it was a sensitive topic.
"Traveling to Ithor would be very difficult under
the present circumstances," he slowly began to
explain to her, attempting not to raise too much
alarm. "Your husband has done me a great favor by
getting me off world," he informed her, not quite
sure what she would make of all this. "Too many
favors elicit too many questions. This is not the
climate to draw unwanted attention..." he concluded,
already wondering if he had perhaps said too much.

For a long time, Htaere regarded Pilaq Tohan in
utter silence. She digested his comments, able to
separate them into parts, some subtle hints, some
gratification, some cautionary. She felt something
bubble inside of her, something that was unfamiliar
to her, something antagonistic to her normally good
nature. Resentment. At long last she spoke. "Then
let us vacation on Ithor before going to Hapes. We
shall make a gardener's delight out of the trip. If
I go, it will not illicit questions. I shall take
you if that is what you wish."

"It has been many years since I have looked upon
Mother Jungle," Pilaq confided to her, unable to
contain the sense of longing he had for his home.
"As a patient in my care it perhaps would not garner
as much attention..." he pondered out loud as he
considered the merits of the trip, not wanting to
put her in any undo jeopardy. "It will still require
the appropriate transit papers and your husband's
permission..." he informed her reluctantly,
considering their options. "Are you sure it is
something you wish to do?"

Htaere stood with a sense of purpose. "I am the
regional governor's wife. I vacation where and with
whom that I choose," she smiled with a sense of good
natured bravado. "It will be a much needed respite
for us both," she stated a bit more seriously. "I am
afraid here, that at every turn I might encounter
those people again, that any of Claudius' crew
believe the accusations against me and work in
tandem with the Security Bureau to monitor every
aspect of my life now. I am having difficulty
finding trust," Htaere confessed a bit of her own
preoccupations and fears as of late.

"You are wise to be cautious. These are troubling
times for us all," Pilaq quietly warned her as he
stood up from the bench and placed a reassuring hand
on her shoulder. He was hesitant to speak of the
matter further as the potential to place them all in
danger grew with each word that they spoke. "Your
husband is a good human. There are others here who
are good as well. Do not lose all your hope," he
said encouragingly as long fingers gripped her
shoulder reassuringly. "I will allow you to get back
to your thoughts now. Be well, young one," he said
to her pleasantly as he moved towards the exit.

"I shall speak with you later regarding our
trip!" she called over to him as he took leave. With
the prospect of a retreat, especially one centered
around natural splendor, Htaere brightened a bit. It
was just the thing needed to sooth the young woman
and help her to heal. With Tohan now gone, and left
in solitude, Htaere moved down one of the flower
paths and knelt down in front of a tiny white flower
amid the bed. Close to it was a pile of smooth round
pebbles, which she took to using to outline a circle
around the delicate little flower, her private
little memory of the child lost during her
incarceration.

It had been another in a series of long days for
Admiral Claudius Rodney. Since the increase in Rebel
activity, the arrival of an Inquisitor, and the
treacherous behavior of the ISB against his own
family it had been very difficult for him to get
more than several moments rest. His wife had not
been sleeping well either, and frequently her waking
nightmares would interrupt what little sleep he was
allowed. He was aging rapidly it seemed, and as soon
as he exited the turbolift on his living quarters he
began unfastening his tunic, in a rapid hurry to rid
himself of the uniform. As he entered his quarters
he stopped for a moment at the door, kicking off his
dress boots and carelessly discarding his tunic on
the nearest chair. "I am home," he announced, never
quite sure who was around these days.

Htaere sat curled up in one of the seating areas,
curled up with her legs drawn up against her and a
warm blanket draped around her. She'd already bathed
for the evening, and was sans the usual array of
ornamentation that glittered further her Hapan
beauty. With the lights dimmed a bit, the glow of
the holovid monitor cast flickering amounts of
illumination across her features at the live
coverage of an opera broadcasted from Coruscant's
famous Coruscant Opera house. Stormy grey eyes took
in the opulence of the production, occasionally
blinking in lethargy as she had finally taken two of
the sleeping aids Tohan had prescribed after
speaking with him earlier. At the sound of Claudius
announcing his arrival, she remained where she was,
head rested on the plush backing. "In here," she
called out lightly.

Claudius followed the sound of his wife's
pleasant voice into the adjoining room where he soon
heard the melancholy sound of the Opera. It seemed
to be another overly dramatic piece from the
Republic Classical period that his parents had
forced upon him in his youth. Looking rather
haggard, and not the slightest bit like the man of
stature and rank, that he was, he tiredly staggered
over towards her and placed a brief, polite kiss
upon her cheek. "Is there anything to eat?" he
queried, clearly sounding like a man who had his
priorities in order.

Htaere untucked herself from her blanket and
stood. "Yes, in the galley. Sit, I shall bring it
for you," she instructed lightly. In her sateen and
elegant night gown, she paused, canting her head
towards her husband, dismayed at what she saw.
"Claudius, you do not appear well. Would you have me
call a medical droid? Perhaps a fluid drip to
revitalize you?"

"Oh. Thank you, my dear, but the last thing I
want to have to deal with is the inane prattling of
a medical droid," Claudius called out to her as he
took a seat on the sofa. He brought his right leg up
onto his left knee and began to rub at his food,
desperately. His boots felt tighter lately and they
were becoming increasingly more difficult to wear.
He was getting old. "Just something to eat and I'll
be back on my ... feet," he said with a slight laugh
as he realized his predicament.

Htaere refrained from a frown, but said nothing,
instead disappearing to the galley and reappearing
with a silver plated tray heaping with warming
dishes full of food, serving utensils and a linen
napkin. Setting it on the coffee table before him
she sat down next to him and readied herself.
"Claudius?"

Having not had the opportunity to eat during his
shift, he heartily leaned forward and began
devouring the first dish that had been served to
him. He was eating at such a hurried rate that he
nearly choked. "Yes?" he replied to her awkwardly, a
mouth still full of food. A gentleman indeed.

"I am not feeling well, and I would like to take
some time away to heal in private," she began
carefully, her accent charming and elegant. "As my
treating physician, I would like Dr. Tohan to
accompany me. We wish to visit the gardens of Ithor,
and then Hapes," she continued, watching him
carefully for his response.

"Ithor?!" Claudius reacted with complete and
utter dismay, being caught so off guard that he
nearly choked on a tender of morsel of food he had
only so recently placed in his mouth. "Why would you
want to go to Ithor?" he asked her, placing the
plate of food aside for the moment as it had become
clear this would now command his full attention.
"I've lived on Ithor. There's not much to see and
they don't even set foot upon the surface..." he
pointed out, doing his best to dissuade her.

"I am aware of their floating cities, to keep the
pristine surface of the planet unmarred by
civilization. I wish to go because the Ithorians are
renowned for their horticulture, like Hapans. I have
never seen the Ithorian gardens, but I would like
to. I am certain Dr. Tohan would not mind a visit to
his homeworld as well," she paused and placed a hand
on his arm. "Perhaps you might be able to go also. A
brief sabbatical may do you well."

"Ithor..." Claudius again repeated, blinking
several times before responding. This was a very
unexpected request, and one he was not entirely sure
to deal with. "It will take dome doing. Ithor is
under bloc...quarantine," he said quickly,
correcting himself mid-sentence. He lowered his head
slightly, rubbing his hands nervously against one
another, his restless mind finding itself turning
back towards the food once more.

"Well, I wish to go," Htaere replied
persistently, gazing at Claudius intently. Finally
she leaned back to give him space and let him finish
his meal. Tugging the blanket back up around her she
leaned back against the velveteen backing of the
luxurious sofa, giving into the ever-growing sense
of tire from her medicine. She continued to watch
him, unwilling to let it go or let him conveniently
move on to another topic, which he excelled at when
it behooved him.

Claudius sat there for a moment and brought both
of his hands to press down firmly upon his cheeks.
This was a battle he knew he could not win. He was
facing too much opposition at the moment, and an
argument with his wife was one he could least
afford. "Very well," he said in defeat as he turned
his attention to his rapidly cooling meal.
"Unfortunately, I can not get away at the moment as
I am needed here to oversee the developments..." he
told her, with genuine disappointment. He was glad
she would be getting away from the turmoil of the
Ringali Shell and out of the reaches of the ISB, but
he wished that she had not picked such a
controversial location like Ithor.

Htaere sat up, happy at his approval, albeit
reluctant, and disappointed at his inability to join
her. Still quiet, she let him eat a few more bites
before venturing a question. "When will all this
end, Claudius?"

"It cannot go on forever, my love," Claudius said
to her reassuringly as he considered her question.
"This ... rebellion ... is small and poorly
organized," he explained to her, believing the
words, which he was saying. "It is nothing but a
small band of terrorists determined to disrupt the
peace the Emperor has brought to the galaxy. We will
crush them," he boasted confidently as he completed
the makeshift meal that had been hurriedly assembled
for him.

To this, Htaere said nothing for a long while.
She was not interested in debating the validity of
the rebellion...or the Empire for that matter.
"Have you ever considered retirement?" she asked out
of the blue, genuinely curious?

"Retire?" Claudius asked in shocked disbelief.
"My dear, I hope you do not think of me as being
*that* old," he said, still recovering from the
notion of her suggestion. "I still have many good
years left in my career," he told her confidently.
"These are times of crisis and it would be wrong of
me to shrink from my responsibilities and return
home to Delaya to take up knitting or some other
thing," he explained, feeling genuine pride in his
conduct in the war thus far.

"I meant no disrespect," Htaere answered quickly,
realizing her question was not taken so well, based
on his response. She thought on it for a moment, and
started to ask why it was a crisis if the rebellion
was small and poorly organized. Instead she
refrained and managed a smile instead. "I would
never suggest disregard for one's responsibilities.
I only meant that it would be nice to have
immeasurable amounts of time together, without any
of these distractions or issues."

"There will be plenty of time, my love," Claudius
reassured her, and also himself at the same time.
"Every day we make great strides and I'm confident
this can not last much longer," he explained to her,
having been hard at work each day now trying to
combat the problem first hand. "Will you be taking
any of the children with you?" he asked her, as he
tried to shift the subject once again from politics.

This time it was Htaere's turn to be taken back
by a question. "I had not thought of it, yet, but I
can if they are interested in going." She fell into
silence as her eyes dropped to her lap. She had not
seen the children or returned to the estate since
her abduction. She had not even been informed of
their condition from the attack. "Perhaps I ought to
return to Esseles," she suggested quietly.

"I'm sure they miss you," Claudius said
sincerely, hoping that his cobbled together family
would develop some sense of togetherness. He did not
like the idea of his family so spread throughout the
galaxy, but he had done much to protect them when
they were all grouped together.

Htaere believed they did, at least in their own
ways. Perhaps not Drusilla, who was never satisfied
with anything, and Jelena's tolerance for her waxed
and waned depending on the adolescent's mood. She
nodded at long last. "Alright," she conceded
quietly. In addition, she was looking forward to
seeing her Guarlara, stabled at the estate. She'd
hoped no harm had come to the animal, and found
riding the majestic creature to be therapeutic in
and of itself.

"I'll see that a shuttle is ready in the
morning," Claudius informed her as he moved his
attention to look at the opera that was still
playing on Imperial Holovision. "I first saw this
before you were born," he conceded much to his
chagrin. "Was your day eventful?" he asked of her,
looking to make the conversation somewhat less
serious than the subject they had been earlier
discussing.

Htaere glanced at the vid momentarily before
reverting her focus back on Claudius. Without asking
his permission she sidled next to him and curled up
as close as she could, letting her head rest on his
shoulder. "It was...just a day, I suppose," she
answered numbly. "And what of yours?"

Claudius placed a reassuring arm around her as
she moved next to him, enjoying the moment of
tranquility between them. "Meetings. Paperwork.
Briefings," he tiredly muttered, shaking his head
tiredly. "The thankless tasks of the bureaucracy..."
he continued, realizing that he was in danger of
boring her. His body began to feel weak, drained of
the energy from another long day. "If I had your
youth and energy I would resolve this situation much
more effectively," he said sweetly to her as his
head leaned down to place a tender kiss upon her
forehead.

"I fear this conflict is destroying you,
Claudius," Htaere mumbled absently, her eyelids were
beginning to sink, succumbing to the slumber imposed
on her by her sleeping aids. "I implore you to be
careful. Your ISB agent said many awful things and I
fear for your safety as well," she continued, though
perhaps in her groggy state she was unaware she was
revealing such things.

"I am the embodiment of caution, my sweet..."
Claudius said confidently as his grip tightened
around her, as if he were afraid to let her go. His
head began to sink and his eyelids felt as if they
were made of durasteel as they began to shut. His
fatigue combined with the effect of the melodramatic
opera were combining to overwhelm what was left of
his stamina.

"Do not trust them, Claudius. They are
deceivers..." Htaere mumbled again as her voice
trailed off in exhaustion. Slipping into
unconsciousness, the Hapan youth's body fell into
relaxation, in need of a solid, uninterrupted
night's sleep. By the will of the goddesses
hopefully she would have it.

Unable to struggle any further, the aged
Admiral's chin pressed firmly against his chest as
he slumped down, falling into a deep sleep on the
sofa with his wife.